The fastest car around the Nürburgring is a Porsche. A 956, to be exact. In 1983, Stefan Bellof laid down a 6:11.13 in Porsche’s short-lived Le Mans–winning prototype. Interestingly, a sister car to Bellof’s chassis #007, chassis #003, was the first of the 956/962 series of racers to carry a PDK transmission, something that the three fastest production Porsches around the Green Hell all have in common. The turbocharged GT2 RS ran a monstrous 6:47.3, beating the techno-marvel 918 Spyder’s time by 10.3 seconds. Which is sort of unbelievable, given that the 918 featured a fire-breathing V-8 and a brace of electric motors. More insane, perhaps, is that the naturally aspirated GT3 RS just knocked off a 6:56.4.

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Driven by Frenchman Kévin Estre, the latest hot lap is 15.77 seconds faster than what the 991.2 GT3 laid down and 24 seconds faster than what the previous GT3 RS recorded. We’re not sure which is more head-torquing: the differential between the regular GT3 and RS or the vast gulf between the times laid down by the 991.1 and 991.2 RS cars. Porsche development driver Lars Kern shared driving duties with Estre, but it was the works racing driver who carried the day. The car wore a set of DOT-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2Rs, which Porsche handily points out are an approved fitment for the new GT3 RS.

Sandwiched between the 520-hp GT3 RS and the 700-hp GT2 RS is the 630-hp Huracán Performante, a product of Porsche’s Italian corporate cousin, Lamborghini. In an age of turbocharged madness, it’s heartening to see a pair of free-breathing engines among the three-fastest production vehicles around the ‘Ring, although we can’t imagine it’ll stay that way for much longer. Meanwhile, we’ll sit patiently, watch the video of Estre’s run, and await the moment when the no-holds-barred 919 Evo makes an invevitable assault on Bellof’s overall time.